The National Press Club

William McCarrenExecutive DirectorYears in role: 21Years at company: 9

INSPIRING THE TEAM:One of the first things The National Press Club executive director William McCarren did in his role was create a profit-sharing plan for employees. The motivation behind this move was to create a tangible incentive. Now, employees can clearly see their impact in the organization, and how they contribute to the National Press Club’s success. “I try to treat my direct reports as I would like to be treated, and expect they do the same for their reports,” says McCarren.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: When McCarren took over leadership at The National Press Club, the organization was deeply in debt, and had no reserves. Ultimately, McCarren determined that the club did not have a profitable business model, and this needed to change. Under McCarren’s leadership, The National Press Club has erased its debt, built up its reserves and been profitable every year.

FUN FACT: “I am currently training a service dog for a wounded warrior. Bunce is a yellow lab that we train for the first two years of his life, and then he is placed with a veteran.”

STRONG RELATIONSHIP: As executive director, McCarren is essentially The National Press Club’s CEO, but he does report to the president of the club, who is a journalist volunteer. The person in this position changes every year, but McCarren says it is a joy to meet and work with “bright, energetic people.”